Management for the Rest of Us

www.mftrou.com

The Quick and Easy
Guide to
Icebreakers,
Brainstorming and
Creativity


by Lyndsay Swinton




Copyright 2006 Lyndsay Swinton All Rights Reserved
Icebreakers, Brainstorming & Creativity -
The Quick and Easy Guide
If you need to know how to build a team fast or solve a tricky problem but
haven't got time to wade through stacks of books, relax because in a cup of coffee's
time you'll be an expert on icebreakers, brainstorming and creativity.

You can:

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Warm Regards


Lyndsay Swinton
Management for the Rest of Us
www.mftrou.com
PS I have another useful e-book that you might like
Management Gurus - The Quick and Easy Guide
If you need to know who's who in management but haven't got time to wade
through stacks of books, relax because in the blink of an eye you'll be an expert on
management gurus through the ages.
What Youll Find In This E-book
6 Tips on How To Choose Icebreakers things to consider before choosing an
icebreaker for a meeting, team event or problem solving session.

Icebreaker Overview Choose a Game a useful overview of the 10 icebreaker
games, to help you select the right one. Includes icebreaker preparation details,
game purpose, timing and materials.

Icebreaker Games for Small Groups 5 tried and tested icebreaker games for small
groups. The games can be adapted to suit by splitting your large group into smaller
groups and running the activity concurrently.

Icebreaker Games for Large Groups 5 tried and tested icebreaker games for large
groups. Enough said!

7 Brainstorming Rules & Techniques To Get More From Group Problem Solving - We
all know that a camel was a horse designed by a committee right?!!. Use these 7
brainstorming rules and techniques and get more from group problem and keep the
creative juices focussed and flowing.

2 Creative Brainstorming Activities For Effective Group Problem Solving - Just
because you call thirty minutes in a room-full of people and a flip chart a
brainstorming activity, doesnt make it successful. For problem solving brainstorming
to be effective, a little bit of coaxing will make all the difference. Here are two
brainstorming activities to transform your problem solving sessions.

and a bonus;

Classic Game: The Prisoners Dilemma: Trust and Co-operation in Business, Work
and Teams - Co-operation and trust are important in business, work and in teams.
Over time, lack of co-operation and mistrust ruin relationships and damage the
working environment. Good relationships based on co-operation and trust can result
in a virtuous circle of win-win resolutions to problems, benefiting all concerned.
This classic game demonstrates the decision-making struggle between individual
benefit versus benefit to the wider group.

Includes a ready to print and use Gaming Sheet


Choose Meeting Ice Breakers Carefully!
Meeting ice breakers, whether games or other activities, can provide vital energy to
meetings or other gatherings of people. Well chosen ice breakers ease people
through the discomfort of getting to know others better.
However, a badly chosen meeting ice breaker can cause more discomfort than it
cures. Weve all felt the pounding heart, the drying mouth, and the rising panic
as your turn to introduce yourself creeps.up..slowly.. No one enjoys ice breakers
from hell, so choose wisely.
Here are some tips on how to choose appropriate ice breaker games...
Things to consider when choosing a meeting ice breaker:
1. Size of the group
2. Purpose of the meeting or gathering
3. Purpose of the ice breaker
4. Preparation required
5. Materials required
6. Time available
1 - Size of the group some ice breakers work best in large groups of 20 or more,
some are better for small groups of 5 or so.
Tip if you have too many people for the ice breaker, split into smaller groups of
the right size and run the icebreakers concurrently.
2 - Purpose of the meeting or gathering what are you doing after the ice
breaker? Are you brainstorming new ideas? Discussing year end results? Kicking off a
new project? Match the mood of the ice breaker to the mood for the meeting.
Tip Be ready to switch icebreakers if you miss-judged the mood on the day. Have
a store of icebreaker ideas, ready for use when you need them.
3 - Purpose of the meeting ice breaker Will it ease introductions, get mental
juices flowing or just be downright silly?
Tip icebreakers dont have to be restricted to the start of meetings. Well timed
icebreakers will lift flagging energy levels or encourage creativity.
4 What preparation is required? simple icebreakers are effective when
explained clearly. More complicated icebreakers require preparation, and venture
into team-building territory, possibly requiring different facilitation skills.
Tip Choose simple icebreakers over complicated ones, and factor in preparation
time.
5 - Materials required theres no baggage with verbal icebreakers! Pens and flip
charts are usually required for meetings so thats easy too. But if youve got bigger,
bolder ideas involving ropes, scissors, balls, cards or other such fun, make sure you
think this through!
Tip make a checklist of materials and bring them. Be ready to improvise or switch
icebreakers if you forget the crucial item or dont have enough to go round.
6 - Time available group energy levels will be zero if each one minute
introduction takes five minutes! Be realistic about the time you have for the meeting
ice breaker and stick to it.
Tip choose a short punchy icebreaker to get energy levels up, and longer
icebreakers when more disclosure is desired.
We are all a bit shy and a little awkward in group situations, so be kind to your
fellows and use icebreakers. Ice breaker games or activities can speed up processes
which left to their own devices are painfully slow or do not happen at all.
A well chosen icebreaker is worth its weight in... ice! Choose your meeting ice
breakers wisely and you will reap the rewards many times over.
Icebreakers Overview - Choose a Game
The 10 icebreakers listed below are described in details in these two sections:
5 icebreaker games for small groups
5 ice breaker games for large groups
The table below will give you a quick overview of the different icebreakers and help
you choose the right one for your event.
You might also find helpful the advice on how to choose the right meeting
icebreaker. Enjoy!

Group
Size
Icebreaker
Purpose
Preparation Materials Time
From: Icebreaker games for small groups
1 Small Fun None Post-it notes and pens 20 mins
2 Small Introductions None None 30 mins
3 Small Opening up None None 20 mins
4 Small Energy Boost None None 10 mins
5 Small Creativity None None 20 mins
From: Ice breaker games for large groups
6 Large Fun None None 10 mins
7 Large Introductions None Ball or small
throwable item
15 mins
8 Large Opening up Secret facts
collect by RSVP to
meeting invite
Blank secret fact
sheets & answers
30 mins
9 Large Energy Boost None None 10 mins
10 Large Creativity Gather materials 5 random items 15 mins
Remember the extra;
7 Brainstorming Rules & Techniques To Get More From Group Problem
Solving
2 Creative Brainstorming Activities For Effective Group Problem Solving
and the bonus
Classic Game: The Prisoners Dilemma: Trust and Co-operation in
Business, Work and Teams

Icebreaker Games for Small Groups
Did you know that the right icebreaker games make the vital difference to your
meeting, training or team building, and build your reputation as a good facilitator?
Here are 5 trusted icebreaker games that will ease introductions, boost energy
levels, spark off creative ideas or be plain fun, designed for small group activities.
Maybe take a few minutes to read the advice on how to choose good meeting ice
breakers, or just dive straight in and select from the following tried and tested
games.

(For a summary, including preparation details, game purpose, timing and materials,
see icebreakers overview).
Icebreaker Game 1 Who Am I?
A silly icebreaker game for a small group.
Have each person secretly write on a post-it note the name of a famous person.
Keeping the name hidden, stick the post-it to anothers forehead.
Each person takes turns to ask the group questions to figure out whom the unknown
person is. The catch is that only yes or no answers can be asked e.g.
Am I alive?
Am I female?
If the answer is no your turn is over. If the answer is yes, you can ask another
question. Keep going until you get a no or make a guess at whom you are. If you
guess right, you win or if you guess wrong your turn is over.
Keep going until everyone has guessed or if time is tight, maybe stop after a few
right answers.
Icebreaker Game 2 Chat Show
Great for groups of strangers, and avoids the dreaded pain of introducing yourself.
Get the group to pair off and take turns in being a chat show host and guest. The
chat show host has to find out 3 interesting facts about their guest. Switch the roles
and repeat.
Bring everyone back to the big group and ask them to present briefly the 3 facts
about their guest to the group. Maybe go round the group randomly so people are
less aware of their turn coming up next and panicking about it.
Watch timing on this one as it has a tendency to go on too long if your group likes to
chat too much.
Icebreaker Game 3 My Name Means
A good game for small groups who need to know a little bit more about each other.
Split the group into pairs. Each pair has to come up with words that describe the
person using the letters in their first name. The phrase is then shared with the
group.
As an example, Lyndsay could stand for Loud, Young, Nerdy, Dreamer, Strong,
Adventurous, Yearning.
As a more creative alternative, each pair has to come up with a silly phrase based on
the letters in their first name.

Lyndsay could be Lively Young Nurses Dance Salsa All Year
Icebreaker Game 4 Line Up
Ideal for a quick energy boost and finding out a little more about your group. If
youve got a bigger group, split them up into smaller groups and see who completes
each task quickest.
Have your group ready to form a line in order of.
Height, from smallest to tallest
Birth months, from Jan through to December
Distance they travel to work, from close to far
Anything else you think up!
To make it more of a challenge, get the group to do this silently, using sign language
or other alternative communication.
Icebreaker Game 5 If I were a
A fun icebreaker game to encourage creativity, best for smaller groups.
Ask each person to say what they would be and why, if they were a
A piece of fruit
An historical figure
A household object
A cartoon character
Any other off the wall group you can think of!
I would be a pineapple as I am exotic, sweet and zingy.
I would be a whisk as I like to stir things up.
I would be Taz as I rush around like a crazy creature!
Ice Breaker Games For Large Groups
Good ice breaker games get meetings, trainings and team building off on the right
foot. These activities are designed for large groups.
The 5 icebreaker games for small groups can be adapted to suit by splitting your
large group into smaller groups and running the activity concurrently.
Maybe take a few minutes to read the section on how to choose good ice breaker
games, or just dive straight in and select from the following tried and tested ice
breaker games.
Ice breaker Game 6 - Ha ha ha!
An informal ice breaker for groups of 7 or so. Do not play with people with sense of
humour by-passes.
Have each person lay in a line on the floor side by side, like sardines in a tin. Each
person must lay their left hand lightly on the stomach of the person on their left.
(Assuming all their heads are on the same side!)
Person 1 says HA. Person 2 says HA HA. Person 3 says HA HA HA and so on up
the line. Any gigglers must be taken out the line and people left shuffle along to fill
the whole. Start the game again with Person 1 and keep going until everyone has
giggled and no-one is left.
In the unlikely event that you get to the end of the line without any gigglers, send
the HAs back to Person 1, but carry on the count of HAs HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA. I guarantee it wont be long until the concentration lapses and giggling
ensues.
Ice breaker Game 7 Catch!
Ideal for groups who need to learn names quickly. Not ideal for groups of complete
strangers as it relies on knowing at least one or two of the groups names!
Get your group to form a circle. The purpose of the game is to learn names by
throwing the ball. Each person must throw the ball 3 times.
Start the game by throwing the ball to someone you know say their name as you
throw the ball. This person throws the ball to someone else and says their name. And
so on, until each person has thrown the ball 3 times. If some poor soul is left out,
take the lead and throw the ball to them asking their name.
Ice breaker Game 8 Secret Lives
An ideal ice breaker game for groups who work together remotely or who need to
build relationships quickly.
When sending out invites to the meeting, ask each person to send back a secret fact
about them. Youll find all sorts of hidden talents, escapades or achievements one
hit popstars, matchstick collectors or maybe a kissogram!
Prepare a document with all the secrets written out, and a blank next to each for the
owner. Make sure you print out enough sheets.
At the meeting hand out the secrets sheets, and ask the group to mingle and figure
out which secret belongs to whom. If the group is mixing well, be flexible about the
timing and maybe let the exercise go on slightly longer.
Take the completed sheets back and mark them quickly. As you are doing this, ask
each person to confess their secret to the group. Announce the winner and maybe
give a small prize.
Ice breaker Game 9 Human Knots
An ideal game for when you want a quick energy boost.
Get your group to make a circle, and face center. Have group shuffle up close,
shoulder to shoulder and close their eyes. When all ready, ask them to carefully
reach out and clasp hands, any hands, with people in the circle.
As facilitator, open your eyes and check that each hand is joined to only one other
hand, and that there is a healthy amount of intermingling. When youre satisfied
theyre ready, ask the group to open their eyes and start un-tangling the knot
without letting go hands.
Eventually the group will untangle into a perfect circle, maybe with a breakaway
smaller circle. Get everyone to clap and congratulate themselves for a job well done.
Caution this is a physical activity so ensure that people are suitably dressed,
physically able and willing to take part.
Ice breaker Game 10 Quick Fire Improvisation
This ice breaker game is best for 10 or so people.
Bring 5 random items to the meeting and place them in the centre of the group.
Each person is encouraged to come up with an alternative use for the item, or to
come up with a phrase associated with the item.
Item ideas; toy dog, cardboard box, chair, wooden spoon, picture, scarf or anything
else around the home or office.
Creative uses; flip toy dog over and say dog tired, hide the dog and say dog-
gone, use cardboard box as handbag, you get the idea
Have a few prepared to start the game off.
7 Brainstorming Rules & Techniques To
Get More From Group Problem Solving
We all know that a camel was a horse designed by a
committee right?!!. This perfectly demonstrates the
unwritten law of business, where the output of a group does
not equal the sum of the individual parts. Use these 7
brainstorming rules and techniques and be the exception to
the rule, get more from group problem and keep the
creative juices focused and flowing.
1. No idea too stupid
There is an ideal solution to your problem and
brainstorming is the key to finding it. However, discussing,
criticising or generally dismissing ideas as they come up
reduces your chance of finding the secret treasure and
render your brainstorming session useless.
2. Watch the clock
A little time pressure is good for brainstorming, so agree a
maximum time for brainstorming, say 10 to 20 minutes, and stick to it. Start and
finish on time, and encourage a brisk pace to maximise the time invested in this
activity. Maybe assign a time-keeper to own this task.
3. Record your progress
All your good ideas are wasted hot air if they are not recorded methodically and
more importantly, legibly. Consider using brainstorming software such as
MindManager, post-it notes, flip charts or other such methods for getting your
ideas down. Whatever you choose, make sure you bring all the necessary tools and
materials with you!
4. Quantity not quality

The aim of brainstorming is to churn out as many ideas as you have time for BEFORE
you do any reality check on their merits. Through quantity you will find quality, even
though it might take some time and effort to get there. Ideas breed ideas.
5. Use both sides of your brain

Most work activities use your left brain, so make your right brain do some work for a
change and get more from brainstorming. Use coloured or scented pens, random
props or anything that says creative and fun and not stuffy and staid.
6. Encourage the right mindset and have fun

Consider using an ice-breaker or creativity exercise to get group members into the
right frame of mind and away from creativity blocking thoughts of unanswered
emails, to-do lists and other priorities. And once brainstorming has started,
remember performance anxiety will dry up creative juices quicker than a quick thing,
so make sure the atmosphere is kept light and fluffy and above all, fun.
7. Let no good idea go unheard.

Not everyone enjoys brainstorming and group problem solving. Shyness, fear of
looking stupid or silly may keep people quiet. Brush up on your facilitation skills and
avoid the risk of great ideas being un-spoken or unheard.
Group problem solving can be effective, especially if you follow these 7 brainstorming
rules and techniques. You can design a horse!

2 Creative Brainstorming Activities For
Effective Group Problem Solving
Just because you call thirty minutes in a room-full of people and a flip chart a
brainstorming activity, doesnt make it successful. For problem solving brainstorming
to be effective, a little bit of coaxing will make all the difference. Here are two
brainstorming activities to transform your problem solving sessions.
Brainstorming Activity 1 Night and Day
Busy people need routines and shortcuts to make it through the day. If we had to
consciously think about the steps involved in making a cup of tea, wed have
exhausting our thinking energy before wed even left the house in the morning.
Routine thinking may save time and energy, but seriously hampers creative
brainstorming, so use this exercise to challenge traditional thoughts and encourage
creativity.

Make a list of common words e.g. night, smart, heavy, quick, apple. Get your team
to list the first opposite meaning word that springs to mind e.g. day, stupid, light,
slow, pear. This will flush out the obvious, routine words. Challenge your team to
come up with at least 3 further opposite words for each word e.g.

Night = day,sun,white,awake, ..
Smart = stupid, scruffy, shabby, in-elegant, clumsy, gawky

Youll find some similar meaning words creep into your list thats fine as these can
spark further opposite meaning words. Remember ideas breed ideas and to keep
critical, analytical thinking in check. Limit the time spent on this activity to 10-15
minutes, to keep it fresh and focused.

Now its time to introduce the real brainstorming activity. Write your problem
statement clearly and simply, and let those creative minds go to work on generating
new and non-routine ideas to solve the problem.
Brainstorming Game 2 What Can You See?
Sometimes youre so close to a problem you cant see how it will ever be solved. This
situation is so common, it even has its own clich you cant see the wood for the
trees. Heres a brainstorming game to help you see things differently, and aid the
problem solving process.

Show these shapes to your team, and ask them to individually write down what they
can see. You may find descriptions such as; three coloured shapes, or a green circle
with a diagonal line, a red hexagon and a yellow thought bubble etc.

Some may have made a small creative leap and seen the top left figure as a green
forbidden road sign. Others may have taken bigger creative leaps and see a
winking, bearded face or an imminent solar eclipse on a cloudy day. It doesnt
matter if you can or cant see these more outlandish images theres no right or
wrong answer.

Looking at things in a fresh, new way can trigger a whole train-load of thoughts, and
thats the essence of effective brainstorming.

Get the team to look at the shapes again and see how they describe them
differently, second time round.

Now, focus on your problem, and encourage your team to look at it with fresh eyes
or in a different light. How would they describe the problem to a non-English
speaker, a child or a Martian?

Use this process to encourage objectivity and distance from a problem, and start a
more creative problem solving process. If youre aiming to develop a new solution,
take your existing product or process and see how you could use it or look at it in a
different way. The whackier the better at this stage remember youre aiming for
quantity not quality and take note of the ideas generated. Its only later that we
put our critical hats back on, and rate the ideas and assess their suitability

And thats only the beginning! These creative brainstorming activities, games and
exercises will get even the most traditional, set thinkers to approach problems
differently and come up with creative, innovative solutions or approaches.
Classic Games The Prisoners Dilemma
Trust and Co-operation in Business, Work
and in Teams
Co-operation and trust are important in business, work and in teams. Over time,
lack of co-operation and mistrust ruin relationships and damage the working
environment. Good relationships based on co-operation and trust can result in a
virtuous circle of win-win resolutions to problems, benefiting all concerned. This
classic game demonstrates the decision-making struggle between individual benefit
versus benefit to the wider group.

In this classic game, two suspects are arrested by the police in connection with a
serious crime. The police have insufficient evidence to convict immediately and are
relying on the suspects statements to make a conviction. The suspects are
separated and given the same deal if one confesses and the other remains silent,
the silent suspect receives the full 10 year prison sentence and the confessor is
released immediately. If both confess, each receives a reduced sentence of 2 years.
If both remain silent, each suspect receives a 6 month sentence on a minor charge.
To confess or remain silent? This is the prisoners dilemma.

To make this game more useful as an exercise in trust and co-operation, the game
has been adapted, repeating the decision making process. This enables behaviour to
be changed over time in response to previous decisions, thus reflecting more closely
real-life.

Use this game to stimulate discussion about trust and co-operation in business, work
and in teams. Suggested discussion points after the game is played are;

What does it feel like to be in each of the four different outcomes? Which
was the most desirable outcome? Which was the least desirable outcome?
What strategy was used to make decisions? Did this strategy change as the
game progressed?
What could be done to repair a relationship if there is a win/lose outcome?
What could be done to build and maintain a relationship such that win/win is
the expected outcome?

Group size 2 to 8 individual players, split into two groups of 1 to 4 players. If
working with a larger group, set up multiple versions of the game.

Preparation none.

Materials sufficient copies of the blank gaming sheet, plus flip-chart for recording
discussion (if appropriate).

Timing approximately 30 minutes to play the game, and 30 minutes to 1 hour for
facilitated discussion.

How to play the game:

1. Split players into group A and group B.
2. Hand out the blank Prisoners Dilemma Gaming Sheet to each group.
3. Allow a few minutes for the group to read the instructions.
4. Allow 2 minutes for each group to make a decision silence or confession -
ensuring any discussion cannot be overheard.
5. Relay the decision to the other group and fill in the gaming sheet, scoring the
outcome of the decision and the cumulative score.
6. Repeat the decision making process until all 10 decisions have been made.
7. Bring the two groups together and discuss the game.

Prisoners Dilemma Gaming Sheet
Two suspects are arrested by the police in connection with a serious crime. The
police have insufficient evidence to convict immediately and are relying on the
suspects statements to make a conviction. The suspects are separated and given
the same deal if one confesses and the other remains silent, the silent suspect
receives the full 10 year prison sentence and the confessor is released immediately.
If both confess, each receives a reduced sentence of 2 years. If both remain silent,
each suspect receives a 6 month sentence on a minor charge. To confess or remain
silent? This is the prisoners dilemma.

In your prisoner group A or B
you have to decide whether to
remain silent or confess. The
police are lenient and give you
10 opportunities to change your
decision before the final
sentence is passed, which is the
cumulative sentence resulting
from all 10 decisions.

You have 2 minutes to make each decision, which must be passed to the police
intermediary (facilitator) to communicate to the other group.

Decision Made

Sentence Cumulative Sentence
Decision
Number
A B A B A B
1


2


3


4


5


6


7


8


9


10


Final
Sentence


B

Sentence
Grid
Silent Confess

Silent

A = 6 months
B = 6 months
A = 10 years,
B = free
A
Confess

A = free,
B = 10 years
A = 2 years,
B = 2 years